Jimmy Mangan may only have 10 horses in his yard in Co Cork, but his Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Spillane’s Tower is one of the best in the National Hunt game. Having already saddled a Grand National winner, Jimmy is bidding to add jump racing’s most prestigious prize to his CV at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
It’s been 23 years since Jimmy celebrated victory at Aintree with Monty’s Pass, but eight-year-old Spillane’s Tower could be the horse to thrust him back into the limelight.
“In the village I come from the signs are still up ‘Home of Monty’s Pass’, so hopefully they can put another one up!” said Jimmy, 70.
Spillane’s Tower beat two potential Boodles Gold Cup rivals in the Betfair Cotswold Chase over the same distance on Cheltenham Trials day.
“He’s a lovely, placid horse, who comes alive when he goes racing,” Jimmy says. “When he came into the [parade] ring at Cheltenham, you could see he was ready for it. We had to put him in a stable as he was really on his toes, getting giddy and wanting to get on with the job. That’s a good sign with him.”
The Walk In The Park son was bred by Noreen McManus and is certainly fulfilling his early promise.
“The McManuses said they were sending me the most beautiful horse to train and when he came off the lorry that day I said, ‘I hope there’s an engine inside that horse, because he had all the physique, size, strength and boldness – he was a real athlete.
“Thankfully there was an engine to drive that body. He performed very well over hurdles and I said, ‘If this horse can jump a fence we’ll have a great time’.”
He promptly won two Grade Ones as a novice.
“I knew then we had a good one,” Jimmy chuckles. “You can’t compare him to Monty’s Pass, who was a handicapper. This one is all class, he has the gears. This fellow is top shelf.”
Spillane’s Tower (left) heads for victory at Cheltenham earlier this year. Credit: JTW Equine Images / Alamy Live News
Spillane’s Tower’s build-up for the Gold Cup
Not only is he a performer, he’s also a “very easy horse to deal with”. His routine includes plenty of turnout and variety.
“He loves rolling in his paddock every day,” Jimmy says. “If it’s wet, he has an all-weather sheet and we’ll still get him out. He eats better if he goes out, and he’ll roll in the mud and have a pick of grass. He’ll kick the door to get out, but then he loves to come in in the evening, I think he suits being where he’s trained.
“He goes out in the centre of the circle gallop and we work the other horses round him and he won’t even lift his head. He’ll just pick at the grass and say, ‘I’ve done my work this morning’.
Jimmy works him both on a circular gallop and up a hill.
“If you’d run up that hill yourself, you’d know about it!” says Jimmy. “We have a lot of nice gallops that we use. I think variety is nice – not to be confined to the same gallop all the time.”
As for the race itself, Jimmy says “you need luck”, but he isn’t the type to stress about it.
“I’m cool enough, I’ve been at it all my life,” he says. “This horse has a ‘pull out’ which is vital from the last fence home. If luck has gone his way during the race, he should have a bit up his sleeve and won’t be far away at the finishing line.
“If I go for the big race, I fancy my own horse and that’s it. They all have chances, but I’m not running for the sake of it.”
Jimmy Mangan’s lucky local hat
One extra bit luck comes in the form of Jimmy’s trademark purple and yellow beanie – both his family racing colours and those of his local hurling team, St Catherine’s GAA in Conna.
Jimmy Mangan wearing his famous purple and yellow beanie. Credit: Alamy
“A long time ago, my father had a few point-to-pointers and he had no racing colours,” Jimmy explains. “He asked the local hurling team would they give him the loan of a jersey, and they did. He kept the jersey and registered with the Turf Club so they’re our racing colours and also our local hurling team.
“Any time I do a Cheltenham preview night for charity, they give me a hat in my colours! It will definitely be coming to Cheltenham.”
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